Merci Handy, but no thanks !

Today, they are found in all your handbags, glove boxes and empty pockets! hydroalcoholic gels have become our ally on a daily basis. As for me, before the pandemic, I used to use Merci Handy’s gel to shoot down all these nasty microbes collected in the Parisian metro (this article is in English but here we go with the French touch 😉).

To fight the spread of Covid-19, the French government has highlighted disinfectant products such as hydroalcoholic gels in health recommendations. At that time, I still see myself reading “hand cleaning gel” on the cute packaging of my Merci Handy product. I had some doubts about this precious efficiency against the Covid-19 so I did my own investigations.

Hydroalcoholic gel VS Hand cleaning gel: THE FIGHT

Hydroalcoholic gel are biocidal products that can be used to control the spread of covid-19 and other pathogens. As a biocide, they must eliminate microorganisms harmful to humans or animals. These microorganisms can be bacteria, viruses, fungi or yeasts. These products must therefore be at least bactericidal: EN 13727 and virucidal : EN 14476+A2. On these products you can see some mandatory statements such as “flammable” or the name and the concentration of the alcohol used to make it.

Hand cleaning gels, like my little glowy gel are cosmetics products. They are use to clean or change the smell of hands without any guarantee of their ability to help fight a virus.

Focus on the EN14476+A2

Well, it’s pretty clear: To fight a virus we have to use virucide products according to the EN14476 standard. But I didn’t tell you everything about it. This standard offers several levels of effectiveness (virucide activity , limited spectrum virucide activity and virucide activity against enveloped viruses). Coronaviruses belong to the enveloped viruses category, so the products used must have a “proven virucidal activity against enveloped viruses” to be eligible to this nomenclature. However, don’t panic almost all products marketed with this standard are effective against this type of virus.

Let’s talk about the recommendations

According to the HAS, and the medicinal product national agency, an hydroalcoholic product would be effective against the virus (virucide) if its alcohol content exceeds 60% v/v

In France, 4 gel formulations benefit from a derogation mechanism for placing on the market (order of 13 March 2020). However, only 2 of these formulations correspond to the real recommendations of the WHO: 1 with Ethanol 80% v/v and Isopropanol 75% v/v. The other formulations, authorized for sale contain 60% v/V of alcohol.

 

Packaging and fraud: 

According to the DGCCRF, the anti-fraud agency, the packaging of a gel for hands under its cosmetic status cannot contain certain mentions or graphic elements such as viruses, red crosses, shields and references to viruses, bacteria, disinfection and the health sector cannot be found on the packaging.  In November 2020, more than 180 samples of hydro-alcoholic solutions and gels were taken. 73% of the products tested to date have been declared either non-compliant (38%) or non-compliant and unsafe (35%).  In the area of fraud, the SYMEX case made a lot of noise during the first lockdown. The DGCCRF launched a recall campaign for the "hand sanitizer: hand disinfection" of SYMEX which contained only 27% alcohol. We are far from the minimum threshold of 60% mandatory for a "disinfectant for the hands".

Ingredient:

Such as cakes, the fewer the better (or less is more?) !

Ideally, a gel has no more than four ingredients: alcohol, distilled water, thickening polymer, glycerol. Other components like perfum or glitters that are sometimes added may be toxic, irritating or inhibiting the virucidal action of the product. Let see 

Well, now you know that the products distribute by beauty brands, such as Merci Handy or Sephora, are unfortunately not considered as disinfectants. They comply with cosmetic and non-biocidal regulations and don't contain sufficient alcohol to guarantee their biocidal action under French regulations.